Culture
19:46, 08-Mar-2018
Beijing's Manet Art Museum holds events to mark International Women's Day
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To celebrate International Women's Day, Beijing's Manet Art Museum held an exhibition featuring artworks from a female painter, Gulistan, as well as a salon focusing on the topic of women and art.
Gulistan is an artist specializing in modern oil paintings.
courtesy of Manet Art Museum
courtesy of Manet Art Museum
Entitled "The Portrait in Memory", the exhibition showcases dozens of Gulistan's oil paintings from her nearly 30-year career.
She got her inspiration from not only eastern traditions but also from many other cultures. Her work is refined and forceful.
The artist says female artists have a different kind of strength.
One of the paintings by Gulistan /courtesy of Manet Art Museum
One of the paintings by Gulistan /courtesy of Manet Art Museum
"As a female artist, I believe there's a quiet and soft power in women. Painting is a form of visual language. I want to convey love and tolerance in my works. And I hope my audiences can feel that and also find what they yearn for in my paintings," she says.
The exhibition, however, hasn't taken all the spotlight of the day at Manet Art Museum. A salon focusing on the topic of women and art also attracted many people.
Handout Photo from Manet Art Museum
Handout Photo from Manet Art Museum
The organizer said this is only one of a series of salons dedicated to women.
"We have organized many salons dedicated to women's issues. And the themes vary from paintings to music, and from poem to philosophy. I think modern women now have a stronger role in promoting the development of art," said Wang Ximeng, organizer of the women salons.
Salons were originated in 17th-century France, where Parisian ladies turned their parlors into social venues. They discussed a wide range of topics related to the arts such as music, painting and literature.
Guests share their views. /courtesy of Manet Art Museum
Guests share their views. /courtesy of Manet Art Museum
The founder of Manet Art Museum, Jin Xishun, was greatly inspired by the idea of salons and has been organizing them for several years.
"The reason I created this salon is that I wanted to provide a place for women to showcase themselves. I've met many outstanding women in various fields. And I think they need a platform to communicate and learn more about each other," says Jin.
Jin's idea spawned these salons, various exhibitions, and other events such as floral design classes and fashion shows. But most importantly, Jin says she wants women to enjoy themselves.